Stanislaw Skrowaczewski commands a rare position in the international musical scene being both a major conducting figure and a highly regarded composer.
Born in Lwow, Poland, Skrowaczewski began piano and violin studies at the age of four, composed his first symphonic work at seven, gave his first public piano recital at 11 and two years later played and conducted Beethoven's 3rd Piano Concerto. A hand injury during the war terminated his keyboard career, after which he concentrated on composing and conducting. In 1946 he became conductor of the Wroclaw (Breslau) Philharmonic, and he later served as Music Director of the Katowice Philharmonic (1949-54), Krakow Philharmonic (1954-56) and Warsaw National Orchestra (1956-59).
Skrowaczewski spent the immediate post-war years in Paris, studying with Nadia Boulanger and co-founding the avant-garde group "Zodiaque". After winning the 1956 International Competition for Conductors in Rome he was invited by George Szell to make his American debut conducting the Cleveland Orchestra in 1958. This led to engagements with the New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh and Cincinnati Symphonies and, in 1960, to his appointment as Music Director of the Minneapolis Symphony Orchestra (now the Minnesota Orchestra). Skrowaczewski has regularly conducted the major orchestras of the world as well as the Vienna State Opera and the Metropolitan Opera. He has made international tours with the Concertgebouw, French National, Warsaw and Hamburg orchestras, and twice toured the Philadelphia Orchestra to South America and the Cleveland Orchestra to Australia.
From 1984-91, following 19 years as Music Director of the Minneapolis Symphony, he was appointed Principal Conductor of the Hallé Orchestra. With the Hallé he gave concerts throughout England, led tours to the United States, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scandinavia, Spain and Poland and recorded for RCA, Chandos and Pickwick/Carlton.
Beginning with his Overture 1947, which won the Szymanowski Competition in Poland, many of Skrowaczewski's works have received major international awards. Among his most recent compositions are his Symphony, premiered in 2003 by the Minnesota Orchestra, the Concerto for Orchestra, shortlisted for a Pulitzer Prize in 1999 and his Violin Concerto, commissioned and premiered by the Philadelphia Orchestra. Earlier works performed by major European and American orchestras are the Concerto for Clarinet, Concerto for English Horn and Ricercari Notturni, recipient of a Kennedy Center Friedheim Award in 1976, and at the end of 2009 his latest composition Concerto for Winds will be premiered by the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie and Bayerische Rundfunk orchestras.
Skrowaczewski's interpretations of the Bruckner symphonies have earned him the Gold Medal of the Mahler-Bruckner Society, whilst his programming of contemporary music at the Minnesota Orchestra has been acknowledged by five ASCAP awards. An extensive discography includes recordings for RCA, Philips, CBS, Denon, EMI/Angel, Mercury, Vox, Erato, Muza, Arte Nova and Oehms Classics. Many celebrated earlier recordings have been re-released on CD and his digital recordings of Shostakovich, Brahms and particularly Bruckner have received highest praise. Skrowaczewski's recordings of Bruckner's 11 symphonies and Beethoven's 9 symphonies with the Saarlændischer Rundfunk Orchestra for Arte Nova have received enormous critical acclaim, with the Bruckner receiving the Cannes 2002 Award for Best Orchestral Recording of 18th/19th Century Orchestral Work. Other recent releases include Shostakovich's First and Sixth Symphonies with the Halle Orchestra on their own label and Shostakovich’s Tenth Symphony with the Deutsche Symphonie Orchester Berlin, recorded live in concert in 2003.
Guest engagements now take Skrowaczewski across North and South America, Europe and Japan. Skrowaczewski is currently the Conductor Laureate of the Minnesota Orchestra, Principal Guest Conductor of the Deutsche Radio Philharmonie (formerly Saarbrucken Radio Symphony Orchestra) and Principal Conductor of the Yomiuri Nippon Symphony Orchestra in Tokyo.
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski is represented by Intermusica.
July 2009 / 594 words. Not to be altered without permission. Please destroy all previous biographical material.
Bayerischen Rundfunks Symphonieorchester / Bruckner, Skrowaczewski
“Skrowaczewski’s performance of Bruckner’s much undervalued Second Symphony was an unforgettable experience. He brought out the light-heartedness of the first movement, pulsating with cheerfulness. The conductor approached the piece with unbounded energy, and the musicians of the BR Symphony followed with delight. The numerous general rests (Bruckner’s ‘pauses for breath’) were not simply empty spaces, and did not interrupt the flow, which Skrowaczewski phrased effortlessly whilst maintaining the momentum of the piece: the splendid build-up from the gentle beginning of the adagio, followed by the bubbling scherzo and energetic finale. An absolute triumph!”
Münchner Merkur, December 2009
“The concert-going public in Munich is a little sensitive when it comes to performances of Bruckner, and unfamiliar interpretations are initially met with scepticism. The rapturous applause that greeted Stanislaw Skrowaczweski’s performance with the Bavarian Radio Symphony Orchestra should therefore be recognised as high praise, and not simply a polite pat on the shoulder for the 86 year old conductor and his musicians. Yet Skrowaczewski, expert as he is on Bruckner, did not behave like a guru on the podium, casting a spell over the audience; he came across rather as down-to-earth, in the tradition of the Kapellmeister of days gone by.
The integrity of Skrowaczewski’s interpretation was most apparent in the second movement, where the considerable level of craftsmanship and the almost naïve directness of the music, given scope to speak for itself, moved the audience in its simplicity. The piece stood before us, exactly as it was, without extraneous flourishes, with its strengths and weaknesses, and therefore with great effectiveness.”
Süddeutsche Zeitung, December 2009
Deutsche Radio Philharmonie / Skrowaczewski, Beethoven, Brahms
“Stanislaw Skrowaczewski wrote his piece Music for winds as a resigned reaction to the current decline of “high art” and consequent rise of “superficial art”. It is a tragic piece, its instrumentation full of character, with beautiful moments full of hope but also aggressive moments of rebellion.
Skrowaczewski wove the orchestral part of Beethoven’s 4th piano concerto with refinement. Even the ‘opera scene’ in the central movement was shot through with classical unity and musical unanimity between the performers. This was a brilliant performance, greeted with rapturous applause.
In Brahms’ 4th Symphony, the conductor must translate the dense score into a rich appassionata, constantly kindling the flames to the point of volcanic explosion. Skrowaczewski (aged 86) championed the piece with passion: each phrase was dramatic yet profound, and admirably true to the original score. The orchestra performed at their very best.”
Saarbruecker Zeitung, December 2009
“Dirigent Stanislaw Skrowaczewski hatte eine „Music for winds“ komponiert, deren üppiger romantischer Bläserbesetzung er drei Saxofone, Klavier, Celesta, Harfe und Schlagzeug zur Erweiterung der Farbpalette hinzugefügt hatte. Er empfindet sein Stück als resignative Reaktion auf den gegenwärtigen Verfall der „großen Kunst“ und der ihr nachfolgenden „Scheinkultur“. Ein tragisches Werk, charaktervoll instrumentiert, mit klangschönen Hoffnungs-Momenten, aber auch aggressivem Aufbegehren.
Makellos das Zusammenspiel mit dem Orchester, dessen Part von Skrowaczewski fein gewoben wurde. Auch die "Opernszene" des Mittelsatzes war durchlichtet von klassischer Einheit und musikalischem Miteinander der Interpreten. Eine glänzende Aufführung, mit stürmischem Applaus bedacht.
Für Brahms' "Vierte" muss der Dirigent die Dichte der Partitur in klangstarkes Passionato umsetzen, immer wieder die Glut entfachen bis kurz vor den Ausbruch des Vulkans. Skrowaczewski (86) war glutvoller Sachwalter: Dramatik in jeder Phase und dazu Tiefgründigkeit, gepaart mit bewundernswerter Partiturtreue. Das Orchester war in Hochform.“
Saarbruecker Zeitung, December 2009
Dresden Philharmonic / Bruckner, Szymanaowski
“Stanislaw Skrowaczewski… demonstrated in the violin concerto how to partner an orchestra without resorting to extravagant gestures, whilst keeping the overall view of the piece in mind. In Anton Bruckner’s 2nd Symphony in C minor, he showed how to steer such a giant with only few visible gestures. What a contrast to the leaping, waving, dancing “stars of the podium”! We already have Skrowaczewski to thank for a recording of the complete Bruckner Symphonies, which rightly puts him in the category of Bruckner specialist.
It was quickly obvious how much intensive work had gone into rehearsing this piece, in order to achieve such a high standard of performance. Because of this, Skrowaczewski could keep control with very few means. He allowed the Philharmonie plenty of space to play, for which they thanked him with their dedication to the music.
It was especially obvious in the finale, made up of so many sound pictures, that we were dealing with a conductor who understood how to use the diverse abilities of the Philharmonie, and harness them to give a wildly applauded performance.”
Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten, November 2008
“Hatte Stanislaw Skrowaczewski dem Solokonzert schon eine Partnerschaft geboten, die er ohne großen Aufwand mit großer Übersicht erreichte, so wurde mit Anton Bruckners 2. Sinfonie c-Moll deutlich, mit wie wenig sichtbaren Impulsen auch ein solcher „Brocken“ zu steuern ist. Welch Unterschied zu springenden, fuchtelnden, tänzelnden „Pultstars“! Dem Dirigenten verdanken wir eine Gesamtaufnahme der Bruckner-Sinfonien, was ihn zu Recht in die Reihe der Spezialisten stellt.
Schnell ahnte man, welch intensive Probenarbeit zugrunde liegen musste, um den hohen Rang der Ausarbeitung zu präsentieren. So konnte Skrowaczewski mit wenigen Mitteln die Balance halten. Er ließ den Philharmonikern viel „Spiel“-Raum, was sie ihm mit großer musikalischer Hingabe dankten.
Auch im aus vielen Bildern gefügten Finale wurde deutlich, dass wir es mit einem Dirigenten zu tun hatten, der es verstand, die mannigfaltigen Potenzen der Philharmoniker zu nutzen, sie in den Dienst einer stürmisch bejubelten Aufführung stellte.“
Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten, November 2008
Hallé Orchestra / recording of Shostakovich symphonies 5 & 10
"Arguably the most completely satisfying version of Shostakovich's Tenth on disc - thrillingly played and comfortably seeing off most of the bigger guns."
BBC Music Magazine, February 2008
New Skrowaczewski Flute Concerto a marvel
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski, 84, has graduated from being an institution to being a phenomenon. It's hard to think of another living musician who has trod a comparable path: from prodigy -- he wrote his first orchestral composition at age 7 -- to elder statesman. Both facets of the Polish-born composer-conductor, who has conducted the Minnesota Orchestra in each of the past 47 seasons, are on striking display this week in Orchestra Hall (an edifice he helped build).
The program's centerpiece is the world premiere of Skrowaczewski's "Fantasia for Flute and Orchestra - The Piper in the Night," commissioned by the Saarbrücken [Germany] Radio Symphony (with which the conductor has lately recorded the Beethoven symphonies) and written for flautists Adam Kuenzel, the Minnesota Orchestra's principal, and Roswitha Staege, formerly principal in Saarbrücken. Effectively a flute concerto (with the first of its several cadenzas at the very beginning), the work, in three movements, is scored for both the standard flute and its lower-pitched, more somber alto sibling. Much of the best writing is for the latter, which Kuenzel plays gorgeously.
Skrowaczewski's music typically feels open-ended. His scores aren't self-contained, neatly wrapped musical objects; they are a means for conversing with their maker - especially when he's on the podium.
Kuenzel's performance is masterful (though I wish he could dispense with the score and address himself directly to the audience). Whether playing long, tensile lines or incorporating extended techniques (bent notes, key clicks, blowing into the instrument), he is intensely and unfailingly musical.
Framing the "Fantasia" are two of Vienna's crown jewels: Mozart's "Jupiter" Symphony and Brahms' Second. If Skrowaczewski's vigorous "Jupiter" seemed a bit retro in sonority with overweight strings, his Brahms was glorious: rich but not padded. The Adagio, in particular, attained a tragic nobility that recalled the legendary conductors of old.
Larry Fuchsberg, Star Tribune, 18 October 2007
Skrowaczewski makes concert memorable
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski belongs to a small club of 20th century dual composer/conductors whose distinguished ranks include names like Mahler, Strauss, Bernstein and Boulez. That the 84-year-old continues to pursue both careers into the 21st century is astonishing.
This week, the Minnesota Orchestra is giving the premiere performances of the latest work by its conductor laureate: a flamboyant, three-movement sonic exercise for flute and percussion-heavy orchestra titled "Fantasie per Flauto ed Orchestra, Il Piffero della Notte ". The composer conducted the first performance Thursday, with Principal Flute Adam Kuenzel as soloist.
Typically, Skrowaczewski tried to direct the majority of the resulting applause to the soloist and performers and not to himself. The 20-minute work, according to program notes, was commissioned by the Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra, where Skrowaczewski is principal guest conductor, and it was written for that orchestra's flautist and her husband, a percussionist. It requires not only a huge percussion battery, but a flautist who has to switch frequently between the standard orchestral flute and the longer alto flute.
A first reaction is that it's quite a showpiece - a cavalcade of instrumental colors and shifting moods. It's filled with solo cadenzas. The three movements proceed almost without pause and they range from pounding Stravinsky-style chords to rapid figurations, "bent" notes, glissandos, and a tremendous selection of percussive effects using chimes, marimbas, temple blocks, vibraphone, celesta and other less-than-familiar percussion devices.
Skrowaczewski may have seemed self-effacing when he directed applause to Kuenzel, but it's not like the soloist didn't earn it. It was an exemplary performance exhibiting great technical skill and musical interpretation.
David Hawley, Pioneer Press , 18 October 2007
Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra / Beethoven Symphonies 5 & 6 (Oehms OC523)
"This Americano-Polish conductor's mastering of the baton is enthralling, placing his reading of the symphonies at the essential top in the history of their interpretations... One cannot but praise this art to make a string section resonate with so much balance, efficiency, clarity in the articulation while keeping the vibrato under masterful control... The generous direction of the phrases is exemplary, alternating between forward-moving rhythms and beautiful legato. Each element of this sumptuous radio orchestra falls into place naturally."
Classica Repertoire, December 2006
Saarbrücken Radio Symphony Orchestra / Beethoven Symphonies 1 & 4 (Oehms OC521)
"Skrowaczewski's primary qualities are precision down to the fifth quaver (a metronome in his head!), a quest for internal voices and for a dialogue between the musicians, a brilliant balance of the sonic masse... Unrivalled in these musical sculptures, the Americano-Polish conductor is the undisputed best of his contemporaries."
Classica Repertoire, December 2006
The Hallé / Manchester's Shostakovich and His Heroes festival
"… Stanislaw Skrowaczewski's blazing performance with a Hallé orchestra at the peak of excellence always put the music first. Who could bother with theories and shadow plays when the musical arguments were so cogently presented, the instruments' interplay so involving?
Beyond the perfection of colour and line, Skrowaczewski's command of structure made this account special. In some conductors' hands, Shostakovich's longer movements come at us waywardly, in splinters; here we had an organic sense of matter and matters building, tensing, transforming."
"Skrowaczewski's baton seemed to mesmerise his players: their ears and spirits became fine-tuned, their bodies stretched and firmed for the massive Eleventh Symphony... Skrowaczewski's skill was to enjoy the primary colours of Shostakovich's poster paint, but also to trace with precision the fine line-drawing beneath it."
The Times, January 2006
Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester Berlin / Lutoslawski Concerto for Orchestra, Liszt Piano Concerto No.1, Shostakovich Symphony No.5
"…very few conductors understand how to intensify the sparse orchestral lines as Skrowaczewski does… The performance never deviated from its purpose, with a sense of the architecture of the whole work. Through accenting individual details and effects he pulled the disparate motives of the work together. One hopes that Skrowaczewski will also come to lead the DSO in Bruckner."
Berliner Zeitung, December 2004
Minnesota Orchestra / Shostakovich Sympnony No.8 & Beethoven Piano Concerto No.3
"In the skilled hands of Skrowaczewski and a Minnesota Orchestra that may be at the peak of its powers, the symphony became an engrossing aural journey, an intensely powerful hour-long musical odyssey that should linger in the memories of those attending this weekend's concerts for quite some time."
St. Paul Pioneer Press, October 2004
Stanislaw Skrowaczewski is represented by Leyla Günes at Intermusica
Tel [44] 207 239 0160, Email: lgunes@intermusica.co.uk